Chapter 166: Episode 165: You must be patient

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Rue pouted.

She pulled the thick gray sheet right up to her chin. She noticed him staring. He looked at her in pure shock. His jaw hung open just a tiny bit.

Axel heard her sleepy mumble. He heard her whisper about him being warm and hard. The fierce white wolf pieced two and two together. His sweet, fragile rabbit had a very dirty mind. He felt a massive surge of pride hit his chest. But he decided to not tell her. He wanted to keep that funny little secret to himself.

He just offered a slow, wicked grin.

"No reason at all," Axel purred. His raspy voice rumbled in the quiet room.

The morning sun peeked through the glass window. It painted bright yellow squares across the stone floor. The fire in the hearth was just a pile of glowing red coals now. The room felt warm and cozy. Rue stretched her legs under the heavy furs. Her muscles ached in a brand new way. It was a very good ache. She felt grounded. She felt safe.

Axel reached out and tucked a messy silver curl behind her ear. He traced her jawline with a rough thumb. He looked so happy. He looked like a giant puppy who just got the best treat in the whole world.

Heavy footsteps echoed in the hallway.

The thick oak door swung wide open.

Drax walked into the bedroom.

The Dragon King stopped dead in his tracks. He didn’t even make it past the edge of the woven rug. His dark eyes swept over the messy bed. He looked at the tangled sheets. He looked at Axel’s bare chest. Then he looked at Rue.

Drax took a deep breath through his nose.

His sharp jaw clamped shut. A muscle twitched in his cheek.

The bedroom didn’t smell like smoke and old books anymore. It smelled like a wild winter storm. It smelled heavily of pine needles and fresh snow. Axel’s scent was everywhere. It was buried in the blankets. It was woven right into Rue’s silver hair. It was pressed deep into her soft skin.

Drax hated it.

The ancient dragon inside his chest let out a silent, furious roar. His instincts flared hot and fast. He was a territorial beast. He wanted his mate to smell like his own fire, not a wet dog from the north.

His dark eyes narrow.

"My turn," Drax stated flatly.

His voice dropped into a low, dangerous rumble. He took a heavy step toward the bed.

"You are acting like a jealous child," Rue laughed.

She sat up, letting the gray sheet pool around her waist. She reached her hand out as he walked closer. She swatted Drax’s solid chest with her open palm. It felt like hitting a warm brick wall. He didn’t even flinch.

Drax’s dragon instincts raged hot and fast because she smelled just like Axel. The heavy scent drove him crazy. He didn’t care about being polite. He didn’t care that the sun was shining outside. He just wanted to fix the smell right now.

He didn’t argue with her. He didn’t laugh at her joke.

He scoops her up.

Drax reached down and grabbed her. He pulled her right out of the warm bed. He lifted her high against his chest, holding her secure in his massive arms. The cold morning air hit her bare shoulders, making her shiver. She wrapped her arms around his thick neck on pure instinct.

He turned around and walked out.

He carries her right past a grinning Axel back into the washroom.

Axel leaned back against the headboard. The white wolf crossed his muscular arms behind his head. He flashed a bright, smug grin at his older brother. He knew exactly what he did. He marked his territory, and it was driving the dragon mad.

Drax ignored the smug wolf. He carried Rue out the door and marched straight down the hall. He headed for the large bathroom with the heavy wooden tub.

"Drax, stop," Rue giggled.

She struggles. She kicked her bare legs, trying to wiggle out of his tight grip. It was useless. He held her like she weighed nothing at all.

"Put me down," Rue demanded softly. She patted his shoulder. "I need to rest. My whole body is sore. And I have to go feed the children. Seika is going to wake up hungry very soon. Theron and Mochi need breakfast."

Drax kept walking. His heavy leather boots thumped a steady rhythm on the stone floor.

"The panther can feed the babies," Drax grumbled. "He likes doing it anyway."

"Knox doesn’t have milk," Rue pointed out, rolling her pink eyes. "You are being ridiculous."

She poked his cheek. She decided to tease him.

"You are so impatient," Rue mocked gently. "You can’t even wait for me to eat breakfast. You just want to drag me away and hide me. Look at you. You are acting like a grumpy bear."

The teasing worked.

Drax let out a heavy sigh. His broad shoulders slumped just a fraction of an inch. The fiery dragon instincts cooled down. He remembered she just had a baby four weeks ago. He remembered she was still healing. He couldn’t just throw her on a bed and take what he wanted. He had to be careful with her soft bones.

He finally lets her go.

He carried her into the washroom and set her down very gently on a wooden stool near the large tub.

Rue pulled her knees together, shivering in the cool air. Drax grabbed a thick, dry fur blanket from a shelf and draped it over her shoulders to keep her warm.

"I am not a bear," Drax muttered. He turned away to grab a heavy wooden bucket. "I just don’t like the way you smell. You smell like a cold mountain peak. I want you to smell like my home."

Rue smiled. She pulled the warm fur tight around her chest. She found his jealousy oddly sweet. Back in her old world, men hid their feelings. They played silly games. Drax didn’t play games. He just told her exactly what bothered him. He was raw and honest.

Drax filled a small clay basin with warm water from the hot spring pipe. He grabbed a soft cloth and a bar of floral soap. He walked back to her and knelt down on the cold stone floor.

He didn’t rush. He didn’t act rough.

He took the warm cloth and began to wash her skin. He started with her arms. He dragged the soapy cloth down her pale skin, wiping away the sweat and the heavy scent of the wolf. His big, callused hands moved with slow, careful grace. He traced the soft curve of her collarbone. He washed her neck, his rough thumb brushing right over her racing pulse.

The bathroom was very quiet. The only sound was the soft splash of the warm water in the clay basin.

Rue let her eyes drift shut. The warm water felt amazing on her sore muscles. She let out a quiet sigh. She let him take care of her. He was so big, but he treated her like she was made of thin glass.

After he washed her skin, he grabbed a wooden comb.

"Lean back," Drax whispered.

Rue tilted her head back. Drax gathered her long, messy silver hair into his hands. He wet the strands and worked a sweet-smelling oil into the roots. The oil smelled like deep woods and dark smoke. It was his signature scent. He was slowly replacing Axel’s mark with his own.

He ran the wooden comb through her hair. He started at the very ends, gently pulling out the tangled knots from her wild night. He worked his way up to her scalp. The slow, repetitive motion felt so good. It put her into a sleepy, relaxed daze.

"You missed a knot right there," Rue mumbled, pointing a lazy finger toward her left ear.

Drax hummed. He shifted his grip and carefully combed out the stubborn tangle. He didn’t yank her hair. He didn’t rush the process. He spent twenty minutes just making sure her silver curls were perfectly smooth and clean. He dried her off with a fresh towel and helped her pull a loose, soft cotton dress over her head.

He took care of every single detail. He made sure she was warm, clean, and comfortable.

Rue sat on the stool, feeling fresh and safe.

Drax didn’t stand up. He stayed on his knees right in front of her. He looked at her clean face. He smelled the dark smoke and sweet oil clinging to her skin. The wolf’s scent was gone. She belonged to the dragon again.

He let out a long, heavy breath. The last bit of tension left his massive frame.

He leaned forward. He dropped his heavy head right onto her shoulder. He wrapped his thick arms around her waist and just held her. He rested his face in the crook of her neck, breathing in her scent. He felt so solid and warm against her soft body.

Rue smiled. She brought her hands up and ran her fingers through his dark, messy hair. She scratched his scalp right behind his ears, just the way he liked it.

"See?" Rue whispered softly. "You can wait. You don’t have to be a grumpy monster all the time."

Drax closed his dark eyes. He sank deeper into her gentle touch.

After he has washed her, combed her hair, and cleaned her, he plopped his head against her shoulders.

"I am the most patient one here."